Delineator capable of reflecting oblique incident light beam

ABSTRACT

A delineator easily recognized by the driver even when attached at a moderate curve of a road includes colorless transparent reflectors attached inclined by a prescribed angle with respect to an aluminum base and amber transparent reflectors attached inclined in the opposite direction. Each reflector has a reflex reflecting element, an optical axis of which is inclined in the same direction as the corresponding reflector. Thus light beams entering in a direction parallel to the surface on which the delineator is attached can also be reflected.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a division of pending application Ser. No. 09/103,030 filed Jun. 23, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,709, in the name of Hiroshi Nakade.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a delineator and, more specifically, a delineator attached to an object such as a guardrail placed along the road for giving a notice to the driver as to where the road leads to.

2. Description of the Background Art

A delineator has been conventionally known which is attached to a guardrail or a wall surface provided along the road for giving notice to the driver, by reflecting light from a head lamp of a car, for example, to a direction opposite to the incident direction.

FIG. 14 illustrates the function of such a delineator 300. Referring to the figure, delineator 300 includes a mirror finished surface portion (refracting surface) 109, and reflects incident light beam from perpendicular direction 112 of mirror finished surface portion 109 to the opposite direction. The angle within which the incident light beam can be reflected (effective incident angle) is 20° each in left and right directions with respect to perpendicular 112 of the mirror finished surface portion.

FIG. 15 is a cross section showing the mechanism of light reflection of delineator 300. Referring to the figure, delineator 300 has a plurality of reflex reflecting elements 103 therein. Reflex reflecting element 103 is a cubic corner element formed of a transparent acrylic resin, for example. As denoted by the arrows in the figure, the light beam entering through mirror finished surface portion 109 is reflected by the surfaces of reflex reflecting element 103 and output in the direction opposite to the incident direction.

FIG. 16 is a plan view showing such delineators 300 attached on the road 201. In this example, delineators 300 are attached at a T intersection of the road 201. Light beams from the head lamp of a vehicle 200 coming near to the T intersection are reflected by delineators 300. This helps the driver of vehicle 200 to notice the existence of the wall ahead.

Similarly, at a sharp curve of the road 201 such as shown in FIG. 17, the driver notices the curve as the light beams from the headlight of vehicle 200 are reflected.

The conventional delineator, however, suffers from the following problem.

Referring to FIG. 18, if the road 201 curves moderately (or if the road 201 runs straight), the light beams from the headlight of a running vehicle 200 cannot be reflected by delineator 300 even when delineator 300 is attached to the sidewall or a guardrail along the road, as the effective incident angle of the delineator is as narrow as ±20°, as described with reference to FIG. 14.

A delineator having such a structure as shown in FIG. 19 has been known as a solution of the above described problem, which is capable of reflecting light beams from the vehicle even at a moderate curve or straight road.

Referring to FIG. 19, delineator 300 includes, in addition to reflex reflecting elements 103 arranged parallel to each other on mirror finished surface portion 109, a projection 301 on the side of mirror finished surface portion 109. Because of this projection 301, a light beam proceeding parallel to mirror finished surface portion 109 is reflected by reflex reflecting element 103 through projection 301, and again reflected through projection 301 to the direction opposite to the incident direction. Accordingly, not only the light beams entering perpendicularly but also light beams proceeding parallel to the mirror finished surface portion 109 can effectively be reflected.

However, in such a delineator, not all of the light beams entering from a direction parallel to the mirror finished surface portion 109 are reflected by projection 301, and some of the light beams are transmitted through projection 301. As a result, intensity of the reflected light beams is low.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention was made to solve the above described problems and its object is to provide a delineator which can be readily noticed by the driver even if the road runs straight or curves moderately.

The above described object is attained by a delineator in accordance with an aspect of the present invention attached to an object existing along a road, which includes a deflecting portion having a plurality of reflex reflecting elements for reflecting incident light beams in a direction opposite to the incident direction, with a refracting surface of the reflecting portion and an optical axis of the reflex reflecting element being inclined in the direction to which the road leads.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the delineator attached to an object existing along the road includes a plurality of reflecting portions and a base having a surface on which the plurality of reflecting portions are attached side by side, each of the plurality of reflecting portions having a reflex reflecting element, and refracting surface of the plurality of reflecting portions being inclined from the surface on which the reflecting portions are attached side by side.

Preferably, the plurality of reflecting portions include a first reflecting portion attached with its refracting surface inclined in a first direction with respect to the surface on which the reflecting portions are attached side by side, and a second reflecting portion attached with its refracting surface inclined in the direction opposite to the first direction with respect to the surface on which the reflecting portions are attached side by side.

More preferably, the first and second reflecting portions are different in color with each other.

More preferably, the reflex reflecting element included in each of the reflecting portion has its optical axis inclined in the same direction of inclination as the refracting surface.

More preferably, said base includes a guardrail.

More preferably, the base includes a double sided adhesive tape.

More preferably, the plurality of reflecting portions are attached on the base by a rail member.

According to the invention, the direction in which the delineator reflects light beams can be inclined, and therefore a delineator which can be easily noticed by the driver even if the road is straight or curves moderately can be provided.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B are a front view and a bottom view of the delineator in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the delineator shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3A to 3C are a front view, a bottom view and a side view of one of reflectors 101 a and 101 c of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a relation between reflecting surface 109 of a reflector and an optical axis 111 of the reflex reflecting element.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of the effective incident angle of the delineator shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an illustration showing principle of inclining the optical axis of the reflex reflecting element.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an example where delineators 100 are attached on the road 201A.

FIG. 8 is a view from the driver of the vehicle 200A shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a view from the driver of vehicle 200B shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a front view of the delineator in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the,delineator shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the delineator shown in FIG. 10.

FIGS. 13A and 13B are a front view and a bottom view of the delineator in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention, respectively.

FIG. 14 is an illustration related to the effective incident angle of the conventional delineator.

FIG. 15 is an illustration showing the structure of the conventional delineator.

FIG. 16 is an illustration showing delineators 300 attached on a T intersection.

FIG. 17 is an illustration showing delineators 300 attached at a sharp curve of the road 201.

FIG. 18 is an illustration showing delineators 300 attached on a moderate curve of the road 201.

FIG. 19 is an illustration showing the structure of a conventional proved delineator.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

First Embodiment

FIGS. 1A and 1B are a front view and a bottom view of delineator 100 in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, respectively, and FIG. 2 is a side view of delineator 100.

Referring to the figures, delineator 100 includes, mainly, an aluminum base 106, 28 colorless transparent reflectors 101 c, and 28 amber transparent reflectors 101 a.

Aluminum base 106 has rail members 107 a to 107 c formed thereon, and each of the reflectors 101 a and 101 c has a projection 104 (which will be described later). Reflectors 101 a and 101 c are attached to aluminum base 106 by projections 104 engaging with rail members 107 a to 107 c. In order to prevent reflectors 101 a and 101 c from slipping out from rail members 107 a to 107 c, stoppers 108 a and 108 b are fixed by screws 105 at terminating portions of rail members 107 a to 107 c.

Each of the plurality of reflectors 101 a and 101 c has a reflecting surface. Reflecting surfaces of colorless transparent reflectors 101 c are formed to be inclined in one direction with respect to that surface of the aluminum base 106 on which rail members 107 a to 107 c are formed. Reflecting surfaces of amber transparent reflectors 101 a are formed to be inclined in a direction opposite to the direction of the reflecting surfaces of colorless transparent reflectors 101 c.

FIGS. 3A to 3C show a structure of one of the reflectors 101 a and 101 c in which FIG. 3A is a front view, 3B is a bottom view and FIG. 3C is a side view. Reflector 101 a or 101 c has a plastic body 102 and a reflex reflecting element 103 attached on body 102 by ultrasonic welding. Body 102 has the above described projection 104, which engages with the rail members 107 a to 107 c of aluminum base 106.

The surface on which reflex reflecting element 103 is mounted provides the refracting surface 109. Refracting surface 109 is adapted to form an angle of about 30° with that surface 110 of the reflector which is attached to the aluminum base.

The refracting surface of clear transparent reflector 101 c is colorless, while the refracting surface of amber transparent reflector 101 a is amber, and therefore the light beam reflected therefrom is amber.

FIG. 4 shows relation between refracting surface 109 of the reflector and an optical axis 111 of the reflex reflecting element.

As already described, the surface 110 of the reflector facing aluminum base and refracting surface 109 of the reflector form an angle of 30°. Optical axis 110 of the reflex reflecting element is adapted to form an angle of 32° in the direction of inclination of refracting surface 109 from perpendicular 112 of the refracting surface 109.

More specifically, the optical axis is inclined by tilting each common reflex reflecting element shown in FIG. 15 by 32° as shown in FIG. 6.

This structure provides the effective incident angle of ±20° on both sides of a direction inclined by 52° from perpendicular 112 of the reflecting surface, as shown in FIG. 5. Accordingly, light beams entering parallel to the surface 110 attached to the aluminum base can also be reflected.

FIG. 7 shows delineators 100 in accordance with the present embodiment attached on a sidewall or a guardrail of road 201A.

Light beams from a headlamp of a vehicle 200A on a traffic lane opposite to the side where delineators 100 are attached are reflected by the amber reflectors 101 a. Therefore, the driver of vehicle 200A notices light beams reflected from amber reflectors 101 a through the windshield, as shown in FIG. 8. Thus the driver comes to know the position of the wall or the guardrail.

Further, as reflectors 101 a and 101 c of delineators 100 in accordance with the present invention are attached continuously on aluminum base 106, the reflected light beams are recognized by the driver as continuous light beams as shown in FIG. 8. Therefore, there is noticed a disconnection of the light beams where the delineator is not provided (for example, entrance to a branch 201B in FIG. 7). Thus the driver notices that there is an entrance to the branch at that portion.

Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 7, the driver of vehicle 200B on the traffic lane on the side where delineators 100 are provided sees the view shown in FIG. 9 through the windshield. More specifically, the driver comes to know the position of the wall or the guardrail by the reflected beams from colorless transparent reflectors 101C.

As described above, light beams reflected from the delineator in accordance with the present embodiment have different colors dependent on the direction of running of the vehicle, and therefore the driver can advantageously recognize the direction of the curve of the road. The reflectors may have the same colors, however, if the delineator is provided only to give notice of the guardrail or wall position to the driver.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 10 is a front view of the delineator in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 11 is a bottom view and FIG. 12 is a side view thereof, respectively.

Referring to the figure, the delineator in accordance with the present embodiment has the delineator in accordance with the first embodiment mounted on a recessed portion of an iron frame plate 121 having the shape of a guardrail, by means of rivets 120.

The angle formed by the surface 110 (FIG. 4) of the reflector facing the aluminum base and the refracting surface 109 of reflector 101 of the delineator in accordance with the first embodiment is as moderate as 30°. Therefore, even when such a delineator is mounted on a recessed portion of a guardrail, reflectors 101 a and 101 c are not extremely protruded from the recessed portion (see FIGS. 11 and 12). This is because the optical axis of the reflex reflecting element is also inclined in the same direction as the reflecting surface.

Third Embodiment

FIGS. 13A and 13B are a front view and a bottom view of the delineator in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention, respectively.

In the present embodiment, reflectors 101 a and 101 c employed in the first and second embodiments are adhered on a double sided adhesive tape 123. This facilitates attachment of the delineator along the curve of the road.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A delineator attached on an object existing along a road, comprising: a reflecting portion consisting of a single material having a plurality of reflex reflecting elements for reflecting incident light beams in a direction opposite to an incident direction, wherein a refracting surface of said reflecting portion and an optical axis of said reflex reflecting elements are inclined in a direction where said road leads.
 2. A delineator as in claim 1, wherein the refracting surface is of a predetermined color, whereby light beams reflected from the delineator are of said predetermined color for assisting the driver of a vehicle on the road to more easily recognize the direction of curve of the road.
 3. A delineator as in claim 1, wherein the refracting surface is of different colors, dependant on the direction of movement of a vehicle on the road for assisting the driver of the vehicle to more easily recognize the direction of curve of the road.
 4. A delineator as in claim 1 including a plurality of reflecting portions arranged in a row.
 5. A delineator for attachment to an object existing along a road comprising: a plurality of first reflecting portions and a plurality of second reflecting portions arranged in a row, each of the first reflecting portions and the second reflecting portions made from a single material and having a plurality of reflex reflecting elements for reflecting an incident light beam in a direction opposite to an incident direction, each of the first reflecting portions and the second reflecting portions having a refracting surface, the optical axes of the first reflex reflecting elements being inclined in a first direction with respect to where the road leads and the optical axes of the second reflecting portions being inclined in an opposite direction with respect to where the road leads, whereby, light beams are reflected from the delineator in both directions of travel on the road, thereby to allow a driver to more easily follow the road regardless of the direction of running of the vehicle.
 6. A delineator as in claim 5, wherein the refracting surface of the first reflecting portion is of a predetermined color, and the refracting surface of the second reflecting portion is of a different color, whereby, light beams reflected from the delineator are of said predetermined color in one direction of travel on the road and are of the different color in an opposite direction of travel on the road.
 7. The delineator according to claim 5, wherein the refracting surface is of a predetermined color, whereby light beams reflected from the delineator are of said predetermined color for assisting the driver of a vehicle on the road to more easily recognize the direction of curve of the road. 